


Keep The Faith

by zoeteniets



Series: Alchemy [2]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Drinking, Jealous Robert Sugden, M/M, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-08
Updated: 2017-04-08
Packaged: 2018-10-16 13:50:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10572603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zoeteniets/pseuds/zoeteniets
Summary: Aaron works at a cocktail bar in Leeds. Lots of the customers flirt with him. Robert is jealous.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thisdamndesire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisdamndesire/gifts), [MellMellMell](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MellMellMell/gifts).



_Keep The Faith,_ the sign above the door proclaims in bright blue neon letters. Aaron’s never been that romantic but ever since he first heard a muttered ‘cognac, not whisky’ from the end of the bar he’s been amused by the message of the sign whenever he sees it on his way into work. Maybe, somewhere deep down, he did live with the hope that he and Robert would one day find their way back to one another.

They are taking it slow, at Aaron’s insistence. And to be honest he is enjoying it immensely. Robert is practically eating out of his palm, so desperate he is to spend time with him. For once Aaron feels in control of the major parts of his life; he has a job he likes, he’s renting a nice flat, and he has a gorgeous man who hangs on his every word.

Robert has developed something of a routine; he comes to the club once or twice a week and spends time propping up the bar until Aaron’s shift ends. Then they go out for something to eat and maybe a little ‘micro-date’. If it’s early they might go to a comedy gig or a small open mic night, or maybe they’ll just wander around town sharing a portion of chips. Robert walks Aaron home and leaves him with a kiss on the doorstep. If Aaron feels generous there may even be some under-shirt groping.

It is one such evening when Aaron notices something that greatly amuses him.

Her name is Annie, and she orders a French ’75 because she is the living embodiment of the phrase ‘bubbly personality’. She nervously tries to attract attention to herself, leaning on the bar, attempting to make eye contact with Aaron and his colleagues. Aaron is the one who takes pity on her, and he is rewarded with a smile that reaches from ear to ear. The bar is a bit quiet, so he takes the time to flirt with her a little as he prepares her drink. He asks her what she’s doing in town, and she excitedly tells him that she’s just been promoted at work and that she was feeling ‘fancy’ so decided to drop in for a cocktail.

“So, you’re here on your own?” Aaron asks as he measures the sugar needed for the cocktail.

“I’ve texted a few friends, they should be on their way over,” she says. “But I don’t mind being on my own for a bit. I like to watch…”

He laughs at her unintended innuendo and she blushes bright scarlet.

“I mean. I like to people watch,” she explains hastily. “I like to imagine the different stories of people at the bar. I try to work out what their lives are like, what kind of a day they are having, that sort of thing.”

“Oh cool,” Aaron replies. “So, what about that guy over there, what’s he up to?” He gestures to where Robert is sitting on a stool at the end of the bar, trying not to make it obvious that he’s watching them together.

Annie takes her drink, sips it and smiles. “I think he’s just been dumped, and he’s still pining for his lover. His partner used to drink here sometimes, and so he’s hovering at the bar in the hope he’ll bump into them again. Which is silly, really; who would dump someone as gorgeous as him?”

“Maybe he’s a colossal asshole,” Aaron mutters to her in a conspiratorial tone.

She laughs loudly at that, “The cute ones always are! Not you though, you’re lovely…”

“Ha!” Aaron laughs back. “Don’t let my boyfriend hear you say that; he’ll think he has competition.”

“Lucky fella,” she says handing him her cash with a wink.

Aaron watches Robert watch Annie throughout the evening. Her friends show up and while they order a steady stream of drinks they keep themselves to themselves. Aaron doesn’t even get the chance to serve Annie again before his shift is over.

Robert meets him at the door. He’s leaning against the brick, trying to look nonchalant. They make small talk as they head to get a late-night snack, until Robert finally says, “Made a new friend tonight?”

Aaron smiles to himself, having wondered when Robert’s famous jealous streak would finally make an appearance.

“Don’t worry,” he says, reaching his hand lower and squeezing Robert’s arse. “She’s not my type.”

…

His name is Fen and he orders a whisky which Aaron thinks is very apt because his eyes are dark and match the colour of the liquid perfectly. This young man is the sort that oozes charm out of every pore. He is impeccably dressed in deep tones of burgundy, and Aaron eyes up his jacket, thinking first of how good it would look on Rob, and then how good it would look on Rob’s floor.

Fen obviously sees Aaron’s appreciative gaze as when he takes a sip of his drink he clearly savours the taste and licks off the excess liquid from his lips. He has the look of someone that might affectionately be called a minx.

Out of the corner of his eye, Aaron sees Robert shift a few inches closer. Aaron hides his smile at his adorable boyfriend. He might be inclined to feel that Robert’s jealousy is stifling and he knows that if the positions were reversed that he would be unable to stop glaring daggers at whoever it was flirting with Robert. But Rob is trying so hard to be better for Aaron and to build their relationship on a more solid foundation this time. He knows that Robert is probably giving himself a strong pep talk about how it would be unseemly for him to march over and challenge this Fen character to a duel for Aaron’s honour, however much he would like to.

So, Aaron just rolls his eyes and reminds himself to tease Robert about this later.     

Fen and his gorgeous eyes stay at the bar. It’s early enough in the day that Aaron doesn’t need to rush off to serve the next customer. So, he tidies up the bar a bit as Fen strikes up a conversation about the different shaped glasses that Aaron has in his hands, and how he remembers which glass if for which cocktail. It’s a fairly mundane conversation, but Fen has the easy air of someone that can make any topic interesting, and he listens attentively to what Aaron says with a smile that is clearly meant to encourage Aaron to talk.

He doesn’t continue to flash Fen the smiles that he knows makes Robert weak on purpose. He swears!  

Aaron is looking at Robert’s pouting when suddenly Fen grabs his phone off the bar, fingers flying in rapid texting.

“Duty calls?” Aaron asks.

“Oh no!” Fen says, running his hand through his dark auburn hair so that it fluffs up a little. “My husband just text to say he’s on his way.”

Aaron risks a glance at Robert who has visibly relaxed upon hearing the word ‘husband’. Fen doesn’t notice Aaron’s lack of attention as he is too busy looking through the drinks menu.

“I’d better order him something,” Fen thinks aloud. “We had a bit of a tiff this morning before work and I want to make it up to him…”

“Nothing too serious I hope,” says Aaron.

“Oh, not really,” replies Fen with a grin. “We’re the sort of people who use fighting as foreplay, you know?”

Aaron can’t help but blush at that, sinking pleasantly into memories of times that he and Robert have turned fighting into fucking.

“Yeah, I do…” he says, this time not trying to hide the fact that he is staring at his boyfriend. Robert stares back with such heat in his gaze it is as if he has to restrain himself from leaping over the bar and snogging him.  

Fen orders a Moscow Mule for his husband and an Old Fashioned for himself. Aaron takes great pleasure in measuring out the whisky, not cognac.

…

Her name is Mell and she orders an Elyx Cup because she’s the sort of person that likes the finer things in life. The club is a bit busier than normal today, but she stands out at the bar because of her bright blonde hair.

He takes his time with the drink; it’s a new one on the menu and he wants to get it perfect. It requires a mix of vodka, simple syrup, and prosecco and the resulting drink is light and fancy. He figures it suits the woman ordering it because she is dressed for a party and looks ready to celebrate.

Indeed, he is right, as she tells him it is her birthday with the sort of smile that is somehow both shy and flirty.

She doesn’t stay at the bar, slipping instead through the crowd to join a small group of friends who are on the dance floor. They look like they are having a great time, and Mell throws herself into it with an enthusiasm that seems to contrast with her earlier shyness at the bar.

Robert slides into the space she just vacated and makes conversation as Aaron mixes him a drink. Charlotte, the boss of his with the blue hair and crush on Rebecca White, has told Robert he can stay as long as he makes sure to actually buy a drink every now and again.

“Maybe I should get a job here,” Robert says casually after a while, fiddling with a beer mat to emphasise his nonchalance.

“What, so you can keep an eye on me?”

“No!” Robert exclaims, “I just… I spend enough time here as it is. I might as well make some money.”

“You don’t need to watch over me, you know?” Aaron says, passing him a drink. “I can handle the punters.”

“I don’t like the way some of them look at you…” Robert mutters sullenly.

“I’m a big tough guy,” Aaron says and cheekily flexes his biceps. “Besides, you know I’ve only got eyes for you,” Aaron admits quietly. “And it’s not like you don’t get your fair share of ‘looks.’” He gestures to where Mell has come back to the bar, waiting to be served, clearly checking out Robert’s lovely arse.

Robert smiles and tells him he should go make her a drink. While he does she leans over to him.

“Say, who is the gorgeous blonde?”

Aaron wonders if he should tell her that they are together. Part of him wants to pretend he doesn’t know, just so that he can prove his point about Robert being on the receiving end of just as many flirty glances and he is. If not more. But another part of him wants to be honest and stake a claim.

“That’s Robert, he’s my boyfriend,” Aaron answers as he hands over her drink.

“You did well!” she exclaims.

“Yeah, I know,” he admits with a smile.

…

Her name is Em and she orders a strawberry daiquiri because, according to her, they taste like her favourite sweets and she’s in the mood for nostalgia. She has the brightest smile Aaron has ever seen in his life and yet for some reason seems gently shy. So, Aaron flashes her a charming grin and pretends not to see Robert bristle out of the corner of his eye.

The weather has suddenly turned: long days of great skys giving way to cheerful sunshine, and in typical British fashion everyone is in the mood to celebrate. The music and crowd seem louder- although Aaron supposes that makes sense if everyone started drinking Pimms in the afternoon. He and Robert had done the same, setting up camp in a beer garden and watching the world go by, hands joined under the table.  The extra sunlight means that Rob’s hair is blonder and his feckless more obvious. Aaron finds it hard not to sigh wistfully as the thinks about counting them. With his tongue.

Em seems a bit surprised when Aaron strikes up a conversation with her. He didn’t have any pre-sliced strawberries to hand, so the drink is going to take a little while longer to make, and he apologises for this. But she just shrugs and says that she is not in a hurry. He goes over to the optics to fetch the strawberry liquor, but when he gets back he sees that Robert is also standing at the bar, quietly chatting to Em.

“Trying to charm the customers, Robert?” he asks cheekily.

“Oh, do you work here?” asks Em, tucking a loop of gold hair behind her ear.

“I might as well; I spend enough time here,” Robert replies. “The drinks are excellent, and the staff the finest in Leeds.”

“We try our best,” Aaron says with a shrug.

He pours all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker, mashes the strawberries up a little, and then shakes the whole thing. He tries not to let it show that he can see both Em and Robert checking out his arse as he shakes the drink together.

“Can I buy you a drink?” he hears Em ask Robert as he strains her daiquiri.

“That is very kind of you,” Robert responds genially. “But I am waiting for my boyfriend.”

“Oh, is he the jealous type? I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“No, he’s not,” Robert says with a gentle smile. “But I want to be able to give him my full attention later.”

Em shrugs the rejection off and continues to talk with Robert. Aaron is actually a little bit proud of him. Robert is still given to occasional bouts of jealousy, yes. But he’s always careful not to smother Aaron, and he can see now that he’s trying to be more open and kind to people, rather than just scowling at them from a distance.

And he’s proud of himself too. Em and Robert really hit it off; their senses of humour seem to match up really well, and they find common ground in geeking out. Robert has been able to break some of that shyness, and the bright smile that Aaron had first noticed is back again. Once upon a time, back when Robert was together with Chrissie, Aaron knows that he would have felt a painful stab of envy seeing Robert happy and flirting with someone else. But now he is calm and relaxed, secure in the knowledge that when his shift ends he will enjoy being Robert’s sole focus.

He _really_ enjoys it.

…

His name is Drew and he orders a mojito, but Aaron really doesn’t mind because holy hell he is gorgeous. Drew is very close to Robert in stature and build, but has the same easy smile as Ed, and the same curled blonde hair as Jackson. It is as if someone has mashed together all the men he’s ever dated and wrapped it up in one pastel shirt wearing package.

Aaron’s gone a little bit weak at the knees.

Drew speaks with a beautifully lilting Australian accent, and they fall into easy conversation together. Aaron knows that Robert is probably off somewhere seething with jealousy, but Drew is so charming he can’t bring himself to feel bad about it.

Still, he blushes incredibly hard when Drew drops his voice low.

“I’m in town for a conference,” Drew says, “and I’ve never been to Leeds before. I don’t suppose you’d be around after work? Would you like to go for a drink? Talk me through the town?”

Aaron knows that if he agreed to this drink he’d have a wonderful time. From their brief conversation, Aaron knows that Drew is intelligent, considerate, and funny. He knows that they would slip into another bar with the aim of seeing the town, but become too wrapped up in each other to notice the evening pass by. He knows that they would end up at his place. Drew has enchanting lips, thick and pink, that he knows would taste wonderful if he were to reach forwards and kiss them.

But he doesn’t want to.

So, while it amuses him to see Drew writing his phone number down on a beermat, he knows that he’s not going to call.

Drew leaves the bar and a wink so cheeky that Aaron doesn’t feel bad for letting him down. There’s no chance that a man like that is going home alone tonight if he doesn’t want to.

Robert soon appears and orders a drink. There’s something a bit off about his mood. Gone is the cocky attitude and cheeky smirk. Instead, he seems almost nervous.

“Are you ok?” Aaron asks as he passes Robert his drink.

Robert looks up at him from under his lashes and it that moment he looks so vulnerable that Aaron immediately wants to throw his arms around him.

Robert eventually managed to vocalise what is bothering him, “Are you going to leave me?”

“What brought this on?” Aaron asks, completely shocked.

“It’s just…” Robert trails off, not meeting Aaron’s eyes and fielding with his glass instead. “There are so many much better people than me out there. I don’t know how I can ever make you happy.”

“You do!”

“But is it enough?”

Aaron really wishes they weren’t having this discussion at a packed bar in Leeds. He can tell by the look on his boyfriend’s face that this conversation is the symptom of something that runs much deeper than a casual bout of envy. He wishes he could take the time to comfort his lover, to reassure him that whatever his self-doubts are they can fight them together.

But he can’t. Not right now anyway. So, he does the only thing he can think of in this situation.

He reaches over the bar, grabs Robert’s tie, and uses it to pull him into a kiss.

Kissing Robert is always wonderful. Like the first sip of tea on a cold winter’s day, Robert is hot and sweet and comforting. But more than that, whenever Robert kisses him, Aaron feels the love and passion that the blonde man holds for him. This time, as they kiss, Aaron tries to pour everything he feels for Rob into the kiss, desperate for Robert to know and understand just how much he wants him.

Robert relaxes into his touch, moans softly, and tugs Aaron closer with a hand on the back of his neck.

The whole world slips away until they are interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

Aaron breaks the kiss to see Charlotte looking at them with a look halfway between appreciation and annoyance.

“Boys, God love you, but we don’t run that kind of bar,” she says. “Do you mind saving it for the bedroom?”

Aaron blushes, but he’s relieved to see Robert’s trademark smirk back.

“Sorry Lottie,” Robert says. “Best behaviour from now on.”

“See to it,” she says with mock annoyance and a grin.

Aaron goes back to work, still hoping that he can have a good talk with Robert later. Aaron’s flirting with the punters has never really bothered Rob before, and he knows that they should talk it out. But he’s not too worried about it all; Robert and he will always find their way back to each other.

He doesn’t know why he has so much faith that he and Robert will always work out, but he doesn’t feel the need to worry too much about something that feels so inevitable. He scans the crowd and sees where his boyfriend has excused himself to at the edge of the dance floor. Aaron studies his lover’s handsome face and feels his heart lift at the sight of blue lights from a neon sign lighting up his boyfriend’s face.

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't going to write a sequel to Alchemy, but a few people asked for a continuation and this idea became stuck in my head. I wanted to post something to celebrate reaching 200 followers on tumblr, and I thought 3,000 words of fluff ought to do the trick (especially after recent incidents *ahem*) 
> 
> This fic is dedicated to thisdamndesire who put this fic on so many of her rec lists, and I think is single handily responsible for my massive surge in followers on tumblr. I am always amazed that someone who produces such brilliant work likes my stuff too! I'm so honoured to call her a friend. 
> 
> This fic was also written to say happy birthday to MellMellMell12. I hope you had a fabulous day! 
> 
> I was a bit shameless here and based all of the characters on people I know. Can you guess which one is me? ;)


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